Fading colors

wontonflip

wontonflip

I failed Kobayashi Maru
Ok, so weird behavior aside (see https://www.livingreefs.com/weird-caught-video-t26586.html), my firsh clownfish is normal, swimming, eating like a pig. I got another one a couple of weeks ago, and the new one is only slightly bigger than the first one. The first one of course is noticeable not as vibrant (due to lack of good lighting, probably, for a couple of months). But he now just seems ashy looking (kinda like your legs before you put on lotion LOL). No white spots. His color just looks slightly faded, especially when compared to the newer clown.

I read this in another forum (Fading Colour of Oceanic Clownfish - Nano-Reef.com Forums

They are probably determining who will become the (more agressive) female and who will become the male. The female is a little brighter and larger than the male.
Click to expand...
Is there truth to that? The first clownfish was previously the dominant female until the male died last year, so I got the new one. I have been waiting for the dominance struggle since putting in the new clown, but so far, the only weird behavior I've seen the first clown exhibit is the one in that video where he's been pestering the goby. Any thoughts?

The fish all get fed a mixture of frozen mysis, emerald entree, and spirulina. Nitrates are around 10-15ppm, ammonia/nitrites 0ppm, phosphates 0 (due to chaeto). Salinity at 1.025. All other fish are super healthy.

EDIT: Looked at some pics of Brooklynella....doesn't look like it, just fyi.
 
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Darker? Or brighter? I'm reading up on Brook and I'm not sure. How fast does brook attack? I'm staring at him, and he just looks very slightly ashy....one concern I have is that last week, I did see a white stringy thingy hanging out his bottom like poop...and I read that white stringy things are signs of a parasite. It was just twice, but I haven't seen it since (and I'm an obsessive fish watcher).

But he's eating. I just threw a couple of pellets in there, and he took one, put it in his mouth, and I he did not spit it out (I know cuz he ate 2 of them). He's not hiding, not doing anything "sick like". He comes up to me when I go near. I'm pretty sure he'll be male because the other newer clown swam up to "him" and "he" did the convulsion thing they do when they're showing submission. It's so hard to tell. It seems brook would hit hard and fast right?
 
I have two clowns, that were bought at the same time and very close to the same size. One, over the weeks became larger and they did the dominance thing for a week and after that seem to be settled they both are now loosing the bright orange color. I have no answers either but will check in to see if we have the same problem. Mine are in a 29gal and the light is a two 24watt one 10k and the artinic. Water pars are also good all 0 across the board.
 
Yeah, I emailed wetwebmedia guys, and they were actually extremely quick to respond. They all but said it's highly unlikely it's brook because brook kills so fast. I got the 2nd clown 2 weeks ago. It would have already died by now (or at the very least, shown symptoms -- which it hasn't), and the other one would've also been infected and dead by now, as well.

My only concern right now is theh white stringy poop I saw those couple of times last week, which usually mean a parasite. This is a hard call because both clowns are acting normally.
 
Well, I decided to qt my clownfish (the one I've had for a year). He's still pooping white stringy stuff, which might not be a problem, but combined with fading colors, and losing weight, I think I want to observe him for a while. He's eating healthy (I watch him take in food, and not spit it out at all), not rubbing on rocks, swimming around normally (for a clown), not gaspig...but I think I'd rather observe him for a while, see how he does, and if anything, fatten him up a bit. I won't put any meds in the qt, though.

Wish us luck!
 
He's still pooping white stringy stuff, which might not be a problem, but combined with fading colors, and losing weight
Click to expand...
Definitely an internal parasite/worm. I would treat it with PraziPro while you have it in qt. A PraziPro treatment is only 5-7 days.
 
Yeah, I've got my LFS holding onto a bottle of prazipro for me. I'll pick it up tomorrow. I wonder though if I can treat the entire dt. No doubt the other fish have this parasite too, but not showing signs. I only have a 10g qt. The remaining fish are 3 chromis, 1 more clownfish, 1 firefish, 1 banggai, and 1 diamond watchman goby. I can't very well stick all of them in a 10g for a week. If I treat the entire dt, I know the feather dusters won't make it...but I wonder if it sticks to the rocks/sand/silicone like copper? Or if it goes away after the week is up?
 
Ok, advice from cc and yoters....I'll just treat the clown, and hopefully the others (who are no doubt infected) will be fine. Prazipro to the rescue!
 
This is a little alarming to me...my foxface every once in awhile has long stringy white poop that hangs out of him for a little while..I never thought anything of it, his color is good, he eats, I just never thought about it, I just figured it was normal. You're getting me paranoid Wonton.
 
Hehehe...ok...here's what I'm learning through this ordeal. The white poop for the most part usually means parasite or bacterial infection. The fact that my clown is eating and acting normal, but getting skinny, most likely means parasite -- it's sucking up the clown's nutrients, hence the weight loss. I wanted to qt so that even if he wasn't sick, I could maybe fatten him up.

So i'm hoping he's fine in the qt for tonight, then tomorrow, I'm picking up some prazipro, highly recommended by yote and cccapt.

My clown freaked me out cuz as soon as I put him in qt, he plopped to the bottom and was breathing heavy! Yote says it was probably just stressed from being chased with a net. He sat like that at the bottom not moving, for an hour!

But as soon as the lights were on, he was up and swimming all over. I just now turned out the lights, and he literally sank back to the bottom. HOpefuly he's just being a retard. I hope he's fine for tonight.

PRC -- I've read some places that white poop might NOT always be bacterial/parasitic -- or maybe he has a parasite, but he might be ok if he's not losing weight. If he gets worse, treat him in qt with the prazipro.

From what Yote also said, the tank already would have the parasite. Once I put my clown back in, he'll probably get it again, but that he'll probably be able to fend them off on his own. I will not qt the others unless they show signs as well. At least now I know.

From what I've read, you can use prazipro in a reef tank .... but it kills ALL worms, including feather duster worms and bristle worms. Most corals were fine from what I've read with peoples experiences, but other corals didn't do so well (zoos i think). I considered treating my whole tank, but after talking to Yote, found it was unnecessary. WIsh my clown luck! I hope I can sleep 2nite!
 
My fish isn't losing any weight so I'm not gonna freak just yet. I hope everything works out for you and yours. Good luck.
 
Thank you....he's driving me insane...he is just laying on his side on the floor as soon as i shut off the lights. I really hope he's just being retarded :(
 
Ok...he seems to have made it perfectly fine. Still sitting at the bottom, but judging from his actions yesterday, I know he'll be back up once the lights come on.
 
Looksl ike his poop is reddish-brown like the pellets he seems to be fond of :) No stringy white poop on the bottom of the tank. Today -- partial water change, then the meds begin!
 
Good, actually. Swimming around, and eating (I'm trying to watch his food intake cuz I don't want to have too much leftover food in there to cause ammonia spikes). I put in 1/2 tsp of the meds today, and he doesn't seem affected by it. I also got some garlic and soaked his food in there.
 

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